The Royal Australian College of General Practitioners (RACGP) says figures released by the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare (AIHW) on Friday support the vital need for the State and Federal Governments to re-evaluate their healthcare priorities.
RACGP President Dr Bastian Seidel said news that healthcare expenditure exceeded 10% of gross domestic product for the first time was a clear sign that dramatic changes had to be made.
“Spending more on hospitals every year is not going to reduce total healthcare spending or improve health outcomes for Australians in the long run,” Dr Seidel said.
“Our government needs to stop expecting better outcomes will suddenly appear by doing the same thing over and over again.
“Now is the time to invest in community and preventive care.”
“GPs and their healthcare teams provide over 150 million patient services at a fraction of the cost of the far more expensive, overcrowded hospital system, yet out government continues to look past them and the value they bring to our community.
“It makes sense that our government invests in the preventive medical care delivered by Australian GPs, to avoid further crowding in the expensive hospital system and enormous overspend in health.”
Dr Seidel said the government needs to carefully re-evaluate its annual health expenditure.
“If the Federal Government wants to save and to deliver outcomes Australian patients and taxpayers expect, it must reassess how it invests in our healthcare system,” Dr Seidel said.
“Australian patients want health, not necessarily treatment.
The focus needs to shift from offering expensive treatments in institutions to effective strategies to maintain health within the community.”
Dr Seidel said although it is the most accessed part of the health system, general practice receives less than nine per cent of the total health expenditure.
“If you do the sums, the total funding for comprehensive GP care, no matter how many visits, is a measly $1 per person per day,” Dr Seidel said.
“By investing more in general practice the government will slash their health expenditure in the long run and improve the health of all Australians.”